Unicorns, Double Rainbows, and Soulmates
by microgirl
Summary: The magic of Rick and Kate's wedding day
1. Chapter 1

_Unicorns, Double Rainbows, and Soulmates Part 1 of 2_

_Disclaimer: I don't own anything or anyone in regards to Castle; the show and its characters belong to a bunch of people who aren't me. I am merely borrowing the characters for my own amusement. Dance puppets, dance._

_Author's Note: It has taken me a long time to finish this, but I finally have! This is the first part, but not to worry! I am thisclose to finishing the second part. I would like to thank EllipsesBandit, my fellow pumpkin lover and Nathan fangirl for the beta as well as Smacky30 for ignoring work to edit this. They are both treasures._

* * *

><p><em>She's armed…with a ring.<em>

_He's dangerous…with love._

_Please join us for a day on the beach for swimming, sand castles, food, drink, and oh yeah, a wedding as:_

_Katherine Rose Beckett_

_And _

_Richard Edgar Castle_

_Finally get married! Collect your winnings on_

_Saturday, August Eighteenth, Two-thousand twelve_

_One o'clock in the afternoon_

_3286 Willow Street_

_Hamptons Bay, New York 11946_

_Reception to follow at same location._

_RSVP_

__ Yes! I will be there with bells on._

__ Yes, but without bells._

__ No I won't be there because I heard there were going to be people with bells and I have a severe phobia of bells_

__ No I won't be there and I have no opinion on the bells issue_

* * *

><p>"Well, it's pretty obvious which part of the wedding planning Castle was in charge of."<p>

Jordan Shaw rolled her eyes after consulting the invitation for the address. She steered the small SUV into a residential neighborhood in the East Hamptons. Rolling down her window, she inhaled the scent of sea salt. A few white clouds dotted the pure blue sky. Castle and Beckett couldn't have gotten a more perfect day to get married.

"Oh I think its fun," her husband Mike commented from the passenger seat. "At least it won't be some boring, rich person, hoity-toity wedding." He gestured to the large houses on either side of them.

Snorting, Jordan shook her head. "Castle's wedding will be _anything_, but boring."

She then caught a peek of her nine year old daughter's sandy blonde hair as the girl leaned forward from the back seat. "Will we still get to play on the beach?"

Jordan nodded. "You will, Anna, but not until after the wedding."

"How long will the wedding be?" Chris, their eleven year old son, whined from next to his sister. "It's not going to be like Aunt Carol's that was like _four hours_ long, is it?"

"It was only two hours, and no, it shouldn't be like that." Raising an eyebrow, Jordan looked at her kids through the rearview mirror. "But since we're almost there, we should go over proper wedding behavior."

Chris huffed. "We _know_, Mom. No fidgeting, no yawning, no sighing…"

"No fighting," Anna piped in.

"Don't slouch, don't play the Nintendo DS," Chris continued. "Don't _bring_ the Nintendo DS, clap at the end, and let the wedding party leave first when it's over."

"Good, then we won't have to threaten your lives to make sure neither of you misbehaves," Jordan grinned back at them.

Shaking his head, Chris rolled his brown eyes much like his father did. "We're not little kids anymore. And they do throw federal agents in jail for murder too."

"Only if we're caught, dear."

A few minutes later, Jordan pulled up in front of a large, slate blue house with white trim. Brightly colored flowers surrounded the emerald green lawn. A wooden porch appeared to wrap around the entire house. Driving by slowly, Jordan could see the bright, blue ocean through the gap between Castle's house and his neighbor's.

"Whooooooooah," the kids exclaimed in unison.

Mike let out a long whistle. "Dang. I got into the wrong business. If I knew this is what a writer got, I would've quit being a teacher a long time ago."

Chuckling, Jordan rolled down her window. A woman in a brown pants suit held a clipboard and stood next to a college aged boy dressed in a polo shirt and tan slacks.

"Good afternoon. May I have your name, please?"

"Jordan Shaw."

After consulting her clipboard, the woman smiled. "Perfect. If your family would like to grab their things, you all can head into the house. Tommy here will park your car for you. Just place your beach bags in the front room, and go straight through to the back with the other guests."

"Thank you very much." Relinquishing the keys, Jordan and Mike helped their kids out of the car and gathered the bags. She smoothed Chris' shaggy hair. The rust color was a near match to her own auburn locks. They'd only recently begun to allow him to grow it out, it was sticking out over his ears in a manner she found messy but he found cool. While he had her hair and eye color, he looked almost exactly like Mike with the same square jaw and rounded nose. Looking at her daughter was like looking into a mirror. The only thing she'd inherited from her father was the blonde hair. Anna learned early on to take charge like her mother, and while Jordan was proud of her, she knew the two would butt heads in a few short years.

When they got inside, the four of them stopped to gawk at their surroundings. A creamy coffee color adorned the front room walls. A huge, incredibly comfy looking brown couch sat under large cover art pictures from _Heat Wave, Naked Heat, Heat Rises_, and the latest book, _Heat of the Moment._ Just beyond the front room, on the left hand side, was the entrance to a study; well, more like a library with its floor to ceiling bookcases. On the other side there was another small door and white stairs with dark brown trim leading to the second floor.

They left their things sitting against the wall opposite the couch, the pile of brightly colored bags appearing impatient to be outside in the sun. Jordan smiled to herself as they walked down the hallway. The walls were mounted with pictures of Castle and his family. Many were of his daughter and mother throughout the years, but there were some that included Beckett with the three of them along with a few of just the happy couple.

The Shaw family came to the kitchen, which looked as if it belonged on a television cooking show with its state of the art appliances and black, granite counter tops. The huge windows afforded them a spectacular view of the beach as the waves rolled gently in. Plates of sliced vegetables, fruits, crackers and cheeses covered the counter tops. The aroma of tangy, smoky baked beans mixed with the smell of grilled meat that came from outside making Jordan practically salivate.

The door leading outside to the beach opened and she was soon welcomed by Detective Ryan.

"Agent Shaw!" he greeted. "It's good to see you again."

"And even better that is has nothing to do with work."

He laughed, and she introduced him to the rest of her family.

"Well, before you head outside, I must give you each one of these." From a box on the counter, he fished out four small bells. "We're going to ring these at the end of the ceremony."

Anna, already began jingling hers, replied, "Cool."

"Castle's idea?" Jordan asked.

"Nope." Detective Ryan shook his head. "Mine. I thought Beckett would like it."

"I'm sure she will."

"Mom," Anna tugged excitedly on her dress. "Can we go outside now?"

"I'll take them," Mike offered. "So you two can catch up."

The words were barely out of her husband's mouth before the kids had already taken off through the sliding glass door. "Don't get dirty before the ceremony!" Jordan called after them. "Or wet!"

She sighed, turning back to Ryan. "Was it really wise to have a wedding on the beach with children present?"

"Or Castle present, for that matter? Alexis has been trying to keep him from playing outside all morning."

They both laughed as they heard other guests made their way into the house. "Excuse me." Ryan reached for more bells. "Let me give these people their bells and I'll be right back."

"Detective Ryan," she called, and he turned around. "Aren't we forgetting something?"

At his confused stared, she kept her expression neutral, but held out her hand expectantly. Shaking his head after a few moments, he reached into his pocket, handing her a thick stack of bills.

"Here you are. Two thousand dollars you won from the pool."

She flipped through the money before placing it in her purse. "Thank you"

"You're welcome. Just don't let Lanie see you walking around with that wad. She was pissed as hell when Castle and Beckett told us they were engaged. She was only one day off from winning."

Jordan just smirked. "Duly noted."

"How _did _you pinpoint the exact date Castle was going to propose?"

"Like a magician, profilers never reveal their secrets," was all she offered.

"Of course." Before he faced the newest guests, Ryan told her, "Just F.Y.I, there's another pool going for when we see the first Castle-Beckett kidling. Esposito is taking numbers and dates."

* * *

><p><em>Where the hell is he? I need to find him before the ceremony. This house isn't <em>_**that**__ big._

Completing her fourth round of searching, Kyra Blaine sighed to herself. She'd been everywhere-the front, the back, the kitchen; she even peeked upstairs, but there was no sign of him. And she desperately needed to find him. It had been way too long.

Kyra smoothed the front of her strapless violet dress as she chose to wait by the staircase.

Nervously tapping her foot, she continued to look around impatiently. The more time that went by, the more anxiety she felt.

She looked down the hallway for the hundredth time as more people filed inside. When she turned, she nearly fell as Martha Rodgers bumped into her.

"Oh excuse me, dear I didn't mean…" Martha's apology stopped as she recognized the younger woman before her. "Kyra."

"Hi Martha," Kyra returned. "How are you?"

"I'm doing well." Eyeing her suspiciously, Martha crossed her arms over her chest. "I didn't expect to see you here."

Kyra blinked at the slight hostility in Martha's voice, but she answered politely. "I wasn't surprised to get the wedding invitation from Rick, and I didn't want to miss this. By any chance have you seen-"

But her question was immediately cut off. "Richard is upstairs getting ready to marry _Kate_."

"Um, okay." Kyra wrung her hands nervously. "Well, I really need to speak to-"

"No, dear. You really don't."

Huffing, Kyra cocked her head in confusion. What was Martha trying to pull? "Listen, I've been looking for the past twenty minutes and-"

It was then that Martha asked to speak to her privately. She followed Martha across the hall to the large study, away from all the traffic of the other guests.

Luckily, Martha didn't draw out the moment. She closed her eyes for a brief moment before taking a deep breath. "I know you and Richard have this long history together and that there were some unresolved feelings after you two broke up."

Krya's eyes widened when she realized where Martha was going. "Oh Martha, I'm not here for that."

But Martha was as unstoppable as tired New Yorkers trying to push on the F train at rush hour. "Now, I thought after the case with your friend's unfortunate death that you two had cleared the air, but…" Martha gestured to Kyra. "…with you here, there is obviously something still unresolved on your part."

"I think I need to explain-"

"No need to explain anything. I know why you're here." Crossing her arms over her chest, Martha eyed her sternly. "You want to make some last ditch effort to get Richard back."

Mouth hanging open, Kyra's mind went blank; she didn't even know how to begin to respond.

"Let me tell you something: Richard has waited a very, very, very, _very_ long time to be with Kate. In fact, you could hear him cheer all the way in the Bronx when Kate first told him she loved him."

Kyra huffed again, and Martha's eyes widened causing Kyra to put her hands up. "I don't mean to disrespect what you're saying, but you _definitely_ misunderstand why I'm here and who I'm looking for."

But Martha appeared not to care. "No I understand perfectly why you're here. Dressed in _that_." She spat out the last word, waving at Kyra's dress like it was some leather cat suit. "No husband in sight. There isn't exactly another message besides 'I'm here to get my ex-flame back!'"

"Grams!"

Kyra turned to find Alexis, wearing a dumbfounded expression. The girl appeared torn between mortification and bursting out laughing. Next to Alexis was Kyra's husband, Greg.

"Greg!" Kyra exclaimed. "I've been looking everywhere for you. You two were gone for a long time, I was getting worried." Walking over to them, she held her arms out for their five month son, Aaron, who was propped on his shoulder.

"Martha, this is _my husband_, Greg," Krya pointedly stared at her. "He took _our_ son outside when he started crying." Turning to her husband, she asked, "So what happened?"

Greg sighed. "I couldn't find his stuffed duck so I went back to the car. It must have fallen out of the diaper bag. Once I got Mister Quackers all was right with the world. I went looking for you when the bird decided to take a swan dive." He smiled at his own goofy joke. "Rick's daughter got it back to Aaron just before he could do another volume test, then she offered to help me find you."

Martha continued to work her jaw up and down several times before she finally managed, "Well, I'm...glad everything is all right now. It's, uh…It's very nice to meet you…Kyra's husband." She swallowed around a clearly embarrassed smile. "I was just telling Kyra what a pleasant surprise it was to see her today."

"I'd told Rick he'd better invite me to the wedding after Kate caught the bouquet at our wedding." Purposely, she ran her free hand down Greg's arm. Kyra remembered the moment clearly; at the small reception Rick had come by to congratulate her again. They talked, promising to remain friends and keep in touch with each other. Before he left, she informed him she better be there when he married Detective Beckett.

Even though they'd been dealing with their past at the time, it was obvious to Kyra that Rick cared deeply about the detective. Sputtering, Rick turned a bright shade of red as he insisted he and Kate were never getting together, let alone get married. Two and a half years later, she left him an "I told you so" voicemail on the day she received the "Save the Date" invitation.

"Well…that is so wonderful. You and Richard are still friends."

"Just friends," Kyra replied nicely.

Still flustered, Martha gestured aimlessly behind them. "I have to go check on…things…It was lovely to meet you." Her eyes had narrowed as Alexis' shoulders shook with silent laughter, the girl barely contained the snort she'd let out. "Come, dear." She grabbed the teenager as she hurried out of the room.

When Martha was out of earshot, Kyra threw her head back and laughed loudly, causing Aaron to giggle with his mother.

Greg's brow wrinkled in confusion. "What was that about?"

Kyra just shook her head. "There's a reason Martha is the actress and Rick is the mystery writer."

* * *

><p>"Okay, we'd better get going. Dad is pacing at the altar and if we leave him there any longer, he's going to pace himself right into the sand."<p>

Alexis looked out the back door again to see her father walking all over the small length of the gazebo, constantly looking back in her direction. To the untrained eye, it might look like he wanted to make sure Kate would be walking down the aisle. But to everyone that knew him, he was just too excited to marry her to stand still.

"Well, we can't exactly get going without the bride," Esposito commented. He then nudged Ryan. "Unless Kev here wants to take her place." The other detective sneered at him, making Jim laughed.

"Oh don't hide your true feelings, Esposito. We all know you want to be the one marrying Rick today."

The four of them turned to the sound of Kate's voice, finding her walking down the stairs, followed by Lanie and Martha. Of course Alexis had been there to see Kate getting ready, but she stilled grinned when she saw the detective. Kate looked absolutely stunning in a strapless, white dress with a lilac ribbon just above the waist. Alexis' and Lanie's dresses matched the color of the ribbon perfectly. The silk material then flowed down and swished around Kate's feet. Her hair was tied back in an elegant bun with tendrils framing her face. She wore her mother's ring and Martha's mother's pearl earrings and the biggest smile possible. Practically floating down the stairs, Kate joined them on the bottom floor.

"Damn, girl." Esposito studied her, hands in his pockets. "You clean up good."

"A crude way of saying, 'You look beautiful.'" Ryan corrected, earning him another elbow in the stomach from his partner.

"Oh, Katie." Taking his daughter's hand, Jim shook his head in amazement. "You are stunning."

"Dad…" she tried to sweetly admonish, but Jim wasn't having any of it.

"You've become everything we always wanted for you." He squeezed her hand. "I am very, very proud of you, and I know your mother is too," Jim said, his voice hoarse with emotion.

Biting her bottom lip, Kate's breath hitched while her eyes sparkled with tears. Alexis found herself wiping her own eyes. A quick glance revealed Lanie doing the same.

Luckily, Martha was there to bring a little levity back to the moment. "Okay, okay us ladies spent a long time doing our make-up. We can't have you messing it up before the ceremony. We need to make it through the pictures before we get all sweet and sentimental."

They spent the few minutes before the ceremony chatting idly, trying to put Kate at ease. Esposito and Ryan told lame jokes, and Martha told some embarrassing stories about Rick.

When the wedding planner came back and told them Judge Markoway was about to have Rick arrested for annoying him, they lined up for the procession.

Letting out a long, shaky breath, Kate closed her eyes. Alexis noticed a bit of a tremble in the other woman's hands.

"Remember, it's just Dad down at the end of the aisle," Alexis whispered to her.

"Exactly," Kate answered.

They shared a smile before Alexis squeezed her hand. For a long time, she'd questioned if Kate even loved her father half as much as he loved her. Kate, she learned, wasn't as open about her feelings as the Castles were with each other. But Alexis discovered that actions do truly speak louder than words. Like the first time Kate walked out of her father's bedroom early one morning to find Alexis and Rick engaged in a Wii lightsaber battle. Gina, and even her mother would have told Rick to put those silly toys away. But Kate simply got a cup of coffee, wishing them a "May the Force be With You." Heck, Kate had even joined on some of their Mario Kart tournaments and given Rick pointers when she walked in on a laser tag battle. Maybe Kate didn't give her "I love you's" as freely as the rest of the family, but she did tell him in her own way everyday.

The opening chords of Frank Sinatra's "It Can Happen to You" started, and Martha began down the aisle. She was followed by Lanie and Ryan, and then Alexis would be escorted by Esposito.

With a short bow, Esposito offered his arm. "Miss Little Castle."

Rolling her eyes, she hooked her arm around his. A long wooden aisle had been set up from the bottom of the stairs leading to a small, shaded gazebo. Beautiful, bright daisies, lilies, and violets ornamented the altar. A soft breeze blew the mix of floral scents all around them. Alexis smiled at her father when she reached the end, taking her place by Lanie. He looked so handsome standing there in his tux. He smiled like it was Christmas morning and he'd spotted Santa Claus placing all the gifts he wanted under the tree.

Finally, everyone stood up as Kate and Jim walked down the aisle. Alexis watched her father's eyes soften when he finally saw Kate. He seemed to ignore everything else as she came closer to him. When Kate had first stepped down from the deck, her grin widened at the sight of Rick.

Reaching the gazebo, Jim kissed Kate gently on the forehead before placing her hand in Rick's and taking a seat up front beside Martha.

Clearing his throat, Judge Markoway began. "Friends and family, we are gathered here today to celebrate this very _long_ awaited moment between Rick and Kate. What began as a grudgingly accepted deal of partnership, at least on Kate's part, blossomed into two souls finally finding their mates, and we are all very blessed to witness this next step in their lives together. If any person has just cause as to why these two shouldn't be married, let them speak now before a woman who holds the record for distance shooting at the range, several _armed _ members of the NYPD, and the master of the macabre himself, or forever hold their peace.

Several people made discreet looks around. They all wanted to see who would be dumb enough to say something, because surely right after they spoke up that person would probably be dead.

"Smart people," Judge Markoway continued. "As always, Rick being the modest writer he is, didn't think any other words would do besides his own…and of course Kate's." Gesturing at them expansively, he said, "You two may now share your vows."

When Kate turned, Alexis took her bouquet of flowers, and gave her the ring in return. Taking a deep breath, Kate visibly tightened her grip on Rick's hands. "When Roy first told me you be shadowing me, I wondered what the hell I'd done to deserve that kind of punishment. You were talkative, annoying, immature, and obnoxious. You insisted 'the butler did it' or some sort of CIA conspiracy theory. You teased me endlessly, pulled my pigtails, and made me seriously consider plotting a murder," she grinned. "But mostly, you were there. You were always there. Whether I wanted you or nor, whether I needed you or not. You still kept showing up. And it was then I realized having you in my life wasn't a punishment. It was a gift."

Kate's voice turned hoarse. "I didn't want to admit it, but you made all of those sappy songs make sense a long time ago. And then I found you sweet, charming, and yes ruggedly handsome." Rick, of course, nodded in agreement. Disentangling their fingers, she slid his ring on. Kate's hands shook as much as her next words. "I promise to look for double rainbows with you, indulge in your culinary creations, and always leave cookies for Santa, but mostly I promise to love you. Always."

The tears Alexis' father had been trying to hold in slipped freely down his cheeks as he chuckled. "Well, now you can't say anything when I bring you a s'morelette for breakfast tomorrow." That earned a ripple of smirks through the small crowd. He then sniffled. "Jeez, how am I supposed to follow that?" Swallowing, Rick took his own deep breath. "I guess I'll give it a shot.

"Kate, I thought I'd be following you for just a couple of weeks. See a couple of dead bodies, play good cop, bad cop with some suspects and I'd be on my way. Turns out you were way more fascinating than the toys and technology the forensics guys had." He ran his thumb over her knuckles. "I told you once that I knew you were a mystery I was never going to solve, and even though as a mystery writer, I am always looking for the story, I…I'm okay with that. Because it just means I get to spend the rest of my life trying to.

"I was honored that you called me your partner, because it meant that the annoying, immature guy got a place in your life. But I am more honored that you are calling me soulmate today. I promise look for unicorns with you, to make everyday magical, find new and fun ways to make you laugh, but mostly I promise to love you. Always."

If Alexis had any remaining doubts about her father and Kate, they'd just been erased. No one could ignore the sincerity and fierceness in their voices as they pledged their lives to one another. After he and Gina had gotten divorced, she'd wondered if there was any woman out there that would put up with her dad's craziness and his one-of-a-kind, energetic personality. It turned out to be Kate, and really Alexis couldn't have asked for anyone better for him.

Judge Markoway picked up the ceremony again. "Marriage might be seen as the end of this story, but that is hardly true. This is only the beginning of the next set of stories in your lives. You two have many, many more chapters to write ahead of you. So to begin that next chapter, by the power vested in me, by the state of New York, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now-well, I don't why I bothered to say anything!" the judge laughed as he finished.

Of course her father couldn't wait. Even as the judge made his pronouncement, Rick moved toward Kate, wrapping his arms around her waist. They sank into a long, sweet kiss, like there wasn't a person around them.

Esposito let out a "whoop" and started shaking the bell he'd hidden in his pocket, signaling everyone else should do the same. Soon, a chorus of jingling filled the air, making both Rick and Kate laugh against each others lips. The two headed back to the house amidst the bells, clapping, and cheering.

When the rest of the wedding party finally joined them, Rick immediately engulfed his daughter in a bear hug that Alexis thought would break her ribs.

"I'm so happy for you, Dad," she told him after she wheezed for him to let her go.

"Thank you, Pumpkin," he replied cheerfully. Her dad looked so carefree and happy that she feared he might just float away with the breeze like a balloon.

Turning to Kate, the two women shared a less crushing, but no less intimate embrace.

"Thank you for letting me become a part of your family," Kate whispered.

"Thank you for loving him, for loving us," Alexis whispered back.

The two women let each other go, and Alexis knew they'd both be reapplying eye makeup before the photographer started taking pictures. She watched with a soft smile as Rick reattached himself to Kate's side.

She'd thought if Rick was ever lucky enough remarried, she'd being giving up her father to his new wife. But really Alexis hadn't lost anything. Not only was her father happy, but she'd been gifted two new family members in Kate and Jim. Alexis was the lucky one.

She laughed at her poetic turn of thought. She was definitely Richard Castle's daughter.


	2. Chapter 2

_Unicorns, Double Rainbows, and Soulmates Part 2/2_

_Author's Note: I bring you the second part-a teeth rotting, fluff fest. Enjoy! Many thanks again to EllipsesBandit and Smacky30 and Mingsmommy for their mad beta skills. They rock harder than Gene Simmons in a diamond mine._

* * *

><p>"Now <em>this<em> is flavor country."

Taking a gulp of beer from the cold bottle, Javier Esposito took a deep breath of the salty, ocean air, enjoying the moment of relaxation.

After the ceremony and all the pictures had been taken, he'd followed the couple, along with Ryan, Alexis, and Lanie to the large tent that was set up behind the house. The children in attendance had already changed and were playing in the water. Of course, Castle being Castle had provided a huge box of water toys as well as colorful, plastic buckets to build sand castles.

What surprised Esposito was the almost casual atmosphere of the event. Given the rich neighborhood, he'd expected a gourmet meal where he wouldn't know half the foods, pieces of shiny silverware he'd never even seen before, let alone know how to use, and champagne that cost per glass more than his monthly salary. Instead, guests snacked on vegetables, crackers, and chips accompanied by various dips and cheeses as they waited for the meal to be served. Combined with the open bar, it seemed more like a casual party than a wedding reception.

"Hell yes," Ryan grinned from his position next to Esposito. They tapped their bottles together before each taking a sip. "A little toast to being the being the best, best men ever."

Esposito snorted. "Me more than you, bro. You lose points for crying during the vows."

Huffing, Ryan shook his head. "Dude, there was sand in my eye. And you're one to talk! I saw you wiping _your_ eyes when they were putting the rings on."

"Whatever." Esposito brought the bottle to his lips again. "I was dealing with an eyelash."

"Right."

A moment later Castle walked over to them, bearing two beer bottles while sporting a very large, happy smile. The man looked as if he were walking on clouds. _I guess that's what you look like when you marry your soulmate_, Esposito silently mused.

"Gentlemen," Castle greeted, handing them new refreshments. "You both looked like you were running low."

"Thanks, man," Ryan said. "Welcome back to the Married Club."

"Yeah," Esposito nodded. "A lifetime of begging for sex."

Castle gave them his signature cocky smile. "I _never_ have to beg for sex."

Esposito laughed. "Sure, bro." Then his smile left his face. "But seriously. You better be ready for a lifetime with Beckett."

"My friend, that woman is crazy in love in me and worships the ground I walk on. How can I not want to spend my life with her?"

Taking a step closer, Esposito stood up straighter to tower over Castle. "Good, because if you hurt Beckett in any way shape or form, we will make you bleed."

Ryan stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Esposito. "Long and slow."

"We'll get away with it too because Lanie will perform the autopsy and she'll just rule your death an unfortunate, freak accident. And it won't end there."

"Nope," Ryan continued. "Because after you die you will burn in a very special level of hell."

Esposito's voice got very low. "A level they reserve for child molesters…and people who talk in the theatre."

During their speech, Castle's eyes grew comically large and he visibly swallowed. Taking a half a step back, he squeaked, "I…" he coughed, before going on in a more deep tone, "…won't. I will never hurt Kate."

"Good." Nodding, Esposito poked him in the chest. "Then we have nothing further to discuss."

"Right…okay, then, well, um…I'm-I'm just going to go back…" Castle gestured behind him. "…_there._"

With wide, almost evil grins, Esposito and Ryan watched him stumble backward. Castle turned back to the two men for a brief moment.

"The _special_ hell," Esposito reminded him.

Staring at them for a second, Castle shuffled back to Beckett as fast as he could, making Esposito and Ryan nearly double over with laughter.

"Oh man," Esposito clapped Ryan on the back. "He is way too easy."

One of the caterers announced the meal was now being served, and the two men lined up with the other guests for the buffet line. There were bowls and platters of delicious summer food-pulled pork sandwiches and brisket with several choices of barbeque sauce; potato salads, macaroni salads, baked beans, and a few fruits salads.

Of course their little "talk" with Castle had been made mostly in jest, but Esposito would twist the writer into a pretzel if he did anything to Beckett. Esposito loved her like a sister, and would do anything to protect her. He knew Castle was desperately in love with Beckett. The man followed her around for hours under the pretense of "research." Still…it never hurt to make sure Castle knew who had the power here.

After about half an hour of talking and laughing over some of the best food Esposito had ever eaten, glasses of champagne started to be passed be around. A moment later, Beckett's father started to tap his silverware against his glass to call attention for toasts. Mr. Beckett began followed by Mrs. Rodgers. After she finished, Esposito felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey there." Craning his head, he found Alexis leaning down between him and Ryan. "You guys ready?"

Straightening his tie, Esposito stood up. "Let's do it, chica."

The three walked over to Mrs. Rodgers as she introduced the guests to the two best men and maid of honor. Beckett and Castle looked confused as to why the trio was making their speeches a group effort. It only served to make Esposito, Ryan, and Alexis smile conspiratorially at each other.

When the guests turned their attention to them, Esposito took a deep breath before he started to speak. "Good afternoon, everyone. Well, like Mrs. R. said, it's our turn to tell Castle and Beckett how we're glad they _finally_ got together, how we hope they have a long, happy life together, and how we hope Castle doesn't screw things up." He handed the microphone to Alexis.

"And I'm supposed to talk about how much I love my dad, how thrilled I am that he got to marry his soulmate, how ecstatic I am to officially call Kate family." Her voice carried the same dry, humorous tone as Esposito's.

Now it was Ryan's turn. "So instead of all that mushy stuff, we decided to do something a little…different. We're going to play a game, and for that we need the bride and groom." He waved the puzzled couple over to them…well, he tried to wave them over. Castle smiled, but still seemed slightly taken aback. Beckett was _completely_ taken aback, not moving from her chair, and staring warily at the threesome.

"C'mon!" Alexis called. "Don't you trust us?" When they still hesitated, she raised an eyebrow. "Don't make me send Javier over there!"

It was only when Esposito took a couple of steps that the pair stood up. "Okay, okay! We're coming!" Castle laughed, holding up his hands.

"Oh, don't be afraid." Ryan told them as everyone around them chuckled. "We would _never_ embarrass you."

"Okay." Taking the microphone again, Esposito directed the couple. "First we need you to take off your shoes."

Castle and Beckett looked at each other before following the strange request. "We're not going to have to do anything kinky, are we?" Castle asked.

Beckett rolled her eyes. "You wish."

It was one of the few times Esposito had seen Beckett without her heels, and it still struck him as funny at how much shorter she was than the guys. Of course, that didn't mean she couldn't kick their asses around the precinct…his included.

"Second you need to trade one of your shoes so that you both have one of each of shoe." Beckett gave Castle one her dainty white sandals, and getting a large black loafer in return.

Now holding one of Castle's shoes and one of her own, Beckett chuckled. "Do you know what this is about?" she asked her husband.

"I swear on all of my best sellers, I have no idea what these guys are up to."

"And finally stand back-to-back." After they stood in position, Esposito explained the rules of the game. "This game is to show how much the new Mr. and Mrs. Castle really know about each other. We'll ask you a question and you raise the shoe of the person you think best represents the answer. So we'll start with a practice question: who has the most cash on them right now?"

Two black shoes immediately shot in the air eliciting laughter from the crowd.

"Okay, now the fun stuff," Esposito continued. "Who wears the pants in the family?" Poor Castle didn't put up a fight when he raised Beckett's shoe, joining her other one in the vote.

Esposito rattled off: Who has the wackiest family? Who spends the most time in front of the mirror? When he asked "Who is more likely to have dessert for breakfast?" both Castle and Beckett raised the two shoes they each held. "Yeah, that was a little too easy," Esposito chuckled. Both Castle and Beckett were notorious for having a serious sweet tooth.

Alexis followed with: Who is more likely to break Dad's remote control helicopter? Who is the better laser tag player? (Beckett shot up with her shoe right away as Castle did the same with his. Everyone laughed as they both tried to raise their respective shoes the highest). Who's more likely to use up all of the hot water?

Some of Ryan's questions were a little more on the salacious side: Who will be the first to say "not tonight?" Who's the better kisser? There was another battle of differing opinions when Ryan asked, "Who will be the first to fall asleep tonight?" Since they'd been running themselves into ground, what with planning the wedding, honeymoon, and solving homicides, Esposito wondered if they would consummate the marriage at all (Perlmutter was in charge of that pool).

After a few more minutes of play, Esposito wrapped up the fun. "Okay, last question, and it's the most important one: Who are you most in love with in this whole world?"

A chorus of "awww" and chuckles went around as Beckett put up the black shoe while Castle pretended to hesitate. He started to raise his own shoe, causing everyone to cackle. Beckett protested with a loud, "Hey!" Raising the white shoe, Castle dropped his so his free hand could also lift Beckett's hand holding the other half to her pair. Amidst the rounds of clapping, they turned to each other and shared a sweet kiss.

Clearing his throat, Esposito stuffed one of his hands in his pockets. "Okay so now we can tell you how happy we are for you. Seriously, dude…" He looked directly at Castle. "I don't think I've seen Kate smile as much as she has with you in…well, ever!"

Standing next to him, Ryan steered Esposito's hand with the microphone to his mouth. "And we know that even though you drive her crazy all day, every day, you still make her very happy."

"Bro, just ask for the mic next time," Esposito whispered harshly right before it was Alexis' turn.

Alexis barely managed to hide her bark of laughter. "I think what these two are trying to say is congratulations." Then she blushed a little at her next words. "And I do really love you both and I'm happy you guys are together. Growing up, I'd always worried about my Dad being alone when I went off to college. But when you guys _finally_ got together after _four long_ _years_, I knew that he would be okay and that there wasn't anyone better for him. And I just want to welcome you, Kate, into our family, and be the first to say…" She gave a dramatic pause befitting of Mrs. Rodgers. "I'm really sorry."

Everyone burst into laughter as Esposito, Ryan, and Alexis lifted their glasses, calling, "To Rick and Kate!" After taking a sip, Beckett immediately wrapped Alexis in a hug with Castle surrounding them. Several moments later, they let go with Beckett wiping the corner of her eyes. She smiled softly at Esposito and Ryan, and they walked over to her. Though instead of individual hugs, both men sandwiched her between them.

"Guys!" She exclaimed. "I can't breathe!"

Neither listened to her as she continued to struggle. "Not so hard you big sissies; you're squeezing the tears out."

* * *

><p>He didn't know why he was here. No that wasn't true; he knew <em>exactly <em>why he came here. What he didn't know was why he hadn't talked himself out of it earlier. He'd been going through the internal struggle for a long time now-the weeks after he read the wedding announcement in the _Times_; the previous Thursday when he passed up on taking an extra shift; hell, even on the ride out here before he parked his motorcycle a block away.

So, Josh Davidson stood in front of Rick Castle's huge Hamptons house.

He'd come up in the evening when he knew the ceremony would be long over. The talking, music, and laughter meant the reception was still in full swing.

_There's still time to leave_, Josh thought as he felt his feet carry him across the street. _I can still go home, pick up a six pack, order a pizza, and catch SNL_. "Right," he muttered, sneaking past the security men to the gap between the two houses. Hugging the shadows, Josh made it to the backyard.

Strings of white lights decorated the railing and the tent where everyone seemed to have congregated. Some people sat at the surrounding tables while others danced to the music. Surprised, Josh expected Castle to have a live band instead of the DJ sitting at a table. He knew better than to stay hidden in a place full of cops and detectives, so Josh hung back from the main crowd. With the new buzz cut, and having been introduced to only a handful of Kate's friends, he didn't figure he'd be recognized. He just didn't want to be labeled a suspicious character.

Leaning against a post, he watched the party go on around him. KC and the Sunshine Band's _Boogie Shoes_ blared through the speakers. Ryan danced with his wife (he thought Kate might've mentioned her name once, but Josh couldn't remember) next to Kate's father and Castle's daughter. Esposito and Lanie moved together like they belonged on one of those reality dance competitions. In fact, a few people stopped to watch them. But then, like as scene out of a cheesy chick flick, a group of people parted, revealing Kate with Castle.

Eyes narrowing, Josh's jaw tightened as Castle twirled Kate in a circle before pulling her back to him.

A year later, Josh still couldn't figure it out; what made the writer so damn great? While they dated, he knew Kate wasn't fully committed, that her mind wandered some place else on their dates. And deep down, Josh knew her thoughts were with Castle. Josh tried to do everything he could to show her he was a good guy, but it was too late. She'd always had one foot out the door.

It led Josh to the Hamptons, trying to figure out what Kate saw in Rick Castle. Why was it the writer and not Josh? Sure the other man was loaded, but Kate wasn't a shallow person. Even from his few interactions with her pseudo-partner, Josh deemed Castle immature, obnoxious, and annoying. Not to mention the fact Castle put Kate's life in danger by re-opening her mother's murder investigation.

After all of that, what was it about Castle that Kate loved? What made him so freaking special?

The song ended, and Castle ended the dance by dipping Kate. Pulling her back up, they almost crashed their heads together, causing Kate to laugh. Shaking his head, Josh sighed. _What an idiot_. _Rick Castle has no idea what he's doing out there._

"Okay, ladies and gentlemen, I hope everyone has worked off the meal because it's cake time!" the DJ announced.

Castle's face lit up and he dragged Kate over to the table on the opposite side. Josh hung back until the majority of the crowd had gathered around the couple. Luckily the people Josh knew were closest to the table so he could stick to the back. He caught a glimpse of the cake: multi-layer, colorful monstrosity depicting the world of comic book superheroes. Around each layer, plastic superheroes stood battling villains. Spider-Man fought the Green Goblin; Superman took on Lex Luthor; and Green Lantern combated Hector Hammond. The top layer had Elektra and Batman standing back to back with, what Josh assumed, were Kirgi and the Joker lying at the heroes' feet. And the only reason Josh even knew about Elektra was from Kate sometimes reading the comic books before bed.

Seriously…seriously? The Batman and Elektra topper was one thing, but a whole _wedding_ cake dedicated to comic book heroes was a bit much. Kate must have lost some massive bet to allow Castle to get away with that. Seriously, what was it about this guy?

"Some cake, huh?"

Josh hadn't even seen the blonde woman, who sidled up next to him. He didn't recognize her, so apparently she was one of Castle's friends. "My thoughts exactly."

The woman shook her head. "I thought Rick was nuts for even suggesting it, but it was even more crazy that Kate agreed." She sighed. "But I guess two peas in a pod think alike." Sticking out her hand, the woman grinned. "I'm Gina Griffin, Rick's editor."

"Josh Davidson," he returned. "I'm…a friend of Kate's. From college."

They both turned to watch Castle and Kate cut the cake together, Castle giving her the first piece followed by his. But instead of feeding each other, they each had knowing smiles on their faces.

When Castle moved toward the table, Kate jerked away.

"My, my a little skittish, Detective," he laughed. "I just wanted to get a fork so I may feed you this fabulous cake."

"Yeah, right." she shot back. But when she made a move to grab a piece of silverware, Castle took a step back, causing chuckles throughout the crowd.

"She actually agreed to that?" Josh waved to the front.

"Yeah." Gina nodded. "Actually Rick wanted a Simpsons themed cake at our wedding." At Josh's questioning stare, Gina clarified, "I'm ex-wife number two. I put the kibosh on that one. We ended up with a five tiered cake just covered in flowers."

Back at the showdown at the Castle Corral, the two newlyweds were still engaged in a battle of wills over who would feed the first piece to the other. When one of them would move forward the other would move back.

"Well, any woman who agrees to have a Batman/Elektra wedding cake as dessert to what was basically picnic food for the dinner is the right woman for Rick Castle."

Finally, Kate took a swift step forward, catching Castle off guard. "Oh, to hell with this," she said, taking the cake from her plate, smashing it all over Castle's face. The guests roared with laughter, but Castle immediately retaliated by just plain grabbing a huge handful from the top tier.

"Castle, no!" she squealed when he caught her around the waist. "I swear, you'll be sleeping on the couch."

"It'll be worth it!" he told her just before giving Kate a piece of what she gave him. She ended up with cake in her hair, eyelashes, and even-

"Up my nose you jack ass!" Kate exclaimed, wiping her face. "I have frosting up my nose."

Throwing his head back, Castle laughed at his wife. He ignored the mess on his own face while Kate tried cleaning herself up. Taking her wrist, he kissed her with lighthearted abandon.

Even through all of the anger he held toward the writer, Josh couldn't ignore the fact that Kate looked…she looked happy. Kate Beckett was genuinely happy. A wide smile lit her face, going from ear-to-ear. Her green eyes sparkled under the white lights. Her laugh rang out, sweet and melodious, when Castle thumbed some frosting from her cheek.

Not only had he never made Kate smile like that, but Josh had never even _seen_ Kate smile like that.

That was why Rick Castle was so special.

* * *

><p>"How in the world can you still be hungry?"<p>

"What? It's just a…" Rick glanced at the clock, "Two am snack."

"Yeah." Sitting up in the bed, Kate's hair tumbled down her shoulders. "But you had two full helpings of food at the reception, you snarfed down three pieces of cake, and now you've got milk and chocolate chip cookies."

Okay. That was true…but he couldn't help it. The food had tasted so good! And really, how could he not eat, drink, and be merry on this day? So a couple…four, five cookies wouldn't hurt.

Turning up his puppy dog eyes, Rick put on his most charming smile. It only took a few moments, but Kate melted at his stare, shaking her head in amusement. "Oh, I really did just marry a man-child, didn't I?"

"Well, my love, who's more foolish: the man-child or the woman who marries the man-child?" He deadpanned, walking closer so she could see him standing there in just his Marvel superhero lounge pants.

"I plead the fifth."

Rick chuckled before taking a moment to enjoy the sight of his wife, _his wife_, all adorably disheveled in their bed. The party had ended a few of hours ago. Most of their guests had left around ten, with only their family and other closest friends remaining. They ended up sitting in the living room, just chatting until close to midnight, which had worked to Rick's advantage. While Kate had been involved in a lively conversation about baseball with Ryan, Esposito, and Jim, he escaped upstairs to decorate the room in candles, Rose petals, and made sure his iPod was set to play soft jazz. Kate teased him about watching too many chick flicks, but she still thanked him with the love in her emerald eyes and the way her lips melded to his. A couple of blissful hours later, he found he couldn't sleep. He wanted to take everything in, remember every part of the day: the way Kate smiled when he slid on the ring; her sitting on his lap, feeding him cake when she somehow found herself without a chair at their table; and the immense feeling of knowing forever when her bare skin surrounded him. When Rick discovered his wife awake as well, he'd suggested they sit outside.

But first he needed a snack.

He jerked his head to the balcony. "I'm all set now."

"I'm sure you are." When Kate rose from the bed, gloriously naked, he nearly dropped the small plate and glass of milk. She snatched his white button up shirt that had been unceremoniously dropped on the floor earlier. Opening the door, Rick went out into the cool night air. He shivered a little at the slight nip in the breeze, a sign fall was right around the corner. But then he went back to more matters like how incredibly beautiful Kate looked, swimming in his shirt and the way her legs went on forever. Settling in the lounge chair, he placed the milk and cookies on the side table before opening his arms to Kate. She cuddled into his side, tangling their legs together.

He took a giant bite of a cookie. He'd made them a few days earlier, and damn it if he wasn't a great baker. As he chewed though, Kate's raised her eyebrows at him expectantly.

"What?" he asked, some crumbs flying out of his mouth.

She huffed. "Aren't you going to give me a cookie?"

Handing her one from his plate, he said defensively, "I thought you weren't hungry."

"I didn't say that," she replied, tearing the cookie he'd given her in half.

They settled into a comfortable silence as they enjoyed the quiet early morning hour. The full moon cast a silvery glow on the black water. Stars dotted the night sky as far as the eye could see, a view impossible from his SoHo loft. The sound of the gentle waves was almost hypnotic, relaxing Rick even more. Turning to Kate, he realized he was a lucky man. Here he lay with this beautiful, wonderful woman he loved, and loved him back, and they'd gotten married-

His thoughts were interrupted when Kate snorted at him. "Oh, just say it."

His brow furrowed. "Say what?"

"Say whatever goofy analogy is on your mind. Wax poetic about how I'm like the moon or how my eyes sparkle like the stars."

"Just for your information, I wasn't thinking anything like that," he said smugly, taking another bite.

"_Please_." Kate rolled her eyes. "Let's get this over with. Just hurry up and swallow."

Eyes widening, Rick shook his excited fists as he tried to chew faster. Oh, he could not pass this one up. Phrases like these were only rarely served on a silver platter.

Cocking her head, she huffed again. "Really Rick, really?"

"What?" he exclaimed. "This is such a wonderful moment to share between husband and wife!"

"You might as well go ahead and say it." Kate leaned across him to grab the glass of milk. "That way I can collect my winnings from Lanie."

At his questioning stare, she explained, "She bet you wouldn't make any crude jokes or innuendos in the first twenty-fours of our marriage, but I knew better." She considered him for a moment. "Although you did hold out longer than I'd originally thought. I thought you'd make some crack during our first dance. But either way, it's been only twelve hours and I still get a Batman cookie jar."

He really couldn't help himself. Rick leaned toward her, taking Kate's mouth in deep, consuming kiss. She tasted of chocolate and sugar, and melded into him like no one else ever had. After a few long minutes (or hours; he couldn't tell), she started to pull back, but he pulled her closer. Laughing against his mouth, she struggled for a minute longer before she finally escaped his grasp.

She took a deep, apparently much needed breath. "Happy much?"

"I am sitting here on beautiful night, with a gorgeous woman, my _wife,_ who just won a Batman cookie jar." His body quivered with excitement. "I have always _wanted_ one of those."

She giggled (yes, he happily discovered that Kate Beckett actually giggled). "If you like that, you should see my Elektra costume," she whispered seductively against his ear.

He stared at her in amazement. Seriously, Kate was the best wife _ever_. "Please don't tease me."

"You never know what I might bring on our honeymoon."

Circling his arms around her waist, Rick smacked a few loud kisses against her neck. "Are you happy?"

She brought her hands to his chest, sighing. "Well, let's see: I just married a man who has enough comic books to open his own store and can find a quote from Star Wars for any occasion." Kate nuzzled her nose against his for a long Eskimo kiss. "I am _very _happy."

His heart melted at the sincerity in her voice. For the first time since Alexis was born, Rick Castle felt so happy, he was ready spew rainbows and sunshine to the darkest corners of the world.

With Kate plastered to his side, he sighed contently, enjoying peace that settled over him. The stress of planning the wedding, the anxiety before the ceremony, and the exhaustion from the dancing finally caught up to him. He felt his eyelids start to droop as his head lolled forward.

Kate laughed, soft and sweet. "It looks like I was right; you are so going to fall asleep first."

"No way," he protested. "I'm just getting more comfortable, so you can have a nice place to sleep."

"Yeah right."

But try as he might, Rick was slowly losing to the Sandman. His eyes stayed closed for longer periods of time before he could force them open again. And the cherry scent of Kate's hair was not helping. He always liked to bury his nose in her brown locks when he fell asleep. Surely she would be out by now…

Looking down, he found her eyes closed and breathing deeply and evenly. He won! He won! And he'd celebrate…first thing in the morning.

"I win," he murmured, finally giving himself over to much needed sleep.

What Rick didn't see was Kate carefully pulling out her cell phone from his pants pocket. She smirked, knowing he'd have tried to take a picture of her…had he not fallen asleep. She snapped a few pictures of him, softly snoring away. Tucking the cell phone back to its original place, she curled herself into his side, tangling their legs together.

"No, I win," she whispered back.


End file.
